Kurdish Naming Customs

Online Tools

• Behind the Name: Kurdish Given Names

Surnames

• Many Iraqi Kurds have adopted Arabic naming customs.
• Some Iraqi Kurds and Kurds in other countries, such as Turkey, have a geographical or tribal name as a last name or have adopted a grandfather’s or great grandfather’s personal name as a family name.
• Familial relationships:

Kurdish women do not traditionally take their husband’s family name on marriage, although some may do so in Western societies.

Children typically adopt their father’s family name.

Given Names

• There are some traditional Kurdish names still in use.

a. male personal names: Diaco, Kochar, Redoir, Roj, Jochar, Sherko;

b. female personal names: Aveen, Awat, Dilsoz, Sidar, Zhian.

• Some Kurds use their father’s/grandfather’s or mother’s/grandmother’s personal name as a middle name:e.g.,

(husband) Haval BARZANI

(wife) Aveen SINJARI

(son) Diaco Haval BARZANI

(daughter) Sidar Aveen BARZANI

References

• A GUIDE TO NAMES AND NAMING PRACTICES, UK Names Guide